Not Only Human
by Uncertain-Angel
Summary: 'Since the day she was old enough to join her parents on the field, Leira had been protecting others by keeping secrets; secrets she guarded tenaciously. Too often had she taken lives on and off the field to keep the secrets from falling into the wrong hands; this call home didn't feel right. Someone was watching her.'
1. Prolog

Just a little back ground on this story. This is the VERY FIRST story plot that kicked off my life in story writing. I started it shortly after the first time my brother's completed Halo 2 (which is by far my favorite of all the Halo games). The idea of the story has not changed from the time I first thought it up, but the plot has grown and matured. A lot of characters in this story I have borrowed from Soulguard. His Mirratord group (read Soulguard's stories _The Mirratord_, and _Stand Five Feet High_) I use quite a bit.

**I do not claim any ownership of Halo 2 or the Mirratord.**

* * *

"_Did you find them?"_

Fire consumed buildings, rubble was raining.

"_Yes sir."_

Marines dodged boiling plasma, fighting to survive, fighting for each other.

"_Who are they?"_

"_Sergeant Riktiv and her squad," _

Grenades exploded, blood, flesh, and debris flew as gun fire was exchanged.

"_Where are they?"_

"_Kaltor IV."_

Banshees and Black Hawks screamed through the air, dancing angrily among the dark smoke and fumes from below.

"_If they survive…."_

Bodies flew and were torn to shreds from the explosion of a Wraiths' plasma cannon.

"…_bring them back to Earth."_

All was silent. Bodies lay still and fires cooled. None would see another day.

"_Yes sir."_


	2. Chapter 1

From here on out expect updates once a week to twice a month, I'll do more when life permits =)

Before I forget: the time-line of this story is going to be quite a bit different than the game, however, I will be keeping the order of events the same as much as I can. Enjoy and please Review! Any and all comments will help me do better =D

Language symbols: I may or may not use all of these but they are here if I do.

'Sangheili language'

"English"

*Prophet*

~Unggoy~

-Kig Yar-

/Lekgolo/

* * *

All around them was chaos; utter confusion, their perfect element.

Twelve marines were spread out in groups of three in the midst of the angry Covenant troops. One group was snipping from the windows of a former hotel, another was picking off grunts and jackals with their rifles or pistols at the ground level of the drug store fifty yards away from the hotel, a third group was at the top level of the supermart across from the drug store and the fourth group was guarding the front of the hotel that held the snipers.

The Covenant troopers were bewildered and infuriated that a single squad of human's could be causing so much damage within territory they had already conquered. Ranks were confused, communication were nonexistent due to a scramble placed on the frequency they used, unggoy were going ramped; even the Kig-Yar were losing it.

Sergeant Leira Riktiv smirked as she watched her men twist the Covenant troopers into knots. She had been with them, this team, since boot camp twelve years ago and knew each and every one of their limits. This battle was theirs; she would not interfere, not when they were having so much fun.

"_Bull's-eye! Right in the belly button; can you beat that Tryst?"_ A woman shouted over the comm. with a giddiness Leira had to grin at.

"_Psh, yah,"_ a male voice, with a hint of southern American accent, drawled, _"I got the super-sternal notch; twice."_ Kiki snarled something degrading but it was drowned out by someone's excited hoot.

This battle had been going on for a little less than an hour. They were making good time; considering this camp had been rather heavily occupied with hunters and fairly high ranking Sangheili.

"_Alright, time for a position change. Jason; you're first. Huck; you're next followed by Tryst. I'll move after y'all." _

Leira watched as the Snipers in the hotel retreat from their position, it didn't take the three long to change to lower and higher levels of the hotel. Teena, Michel, and Dolly had patterns unlike any snipe team in the UNSC. They often out did the snipping competitions their platoon held regularly. The team on the Super Mart roof dispersed then reappeared on another roof top on the opposite side of the street they had been on and fired rockets in the thickest cluster of Covenant troops.

Leira smirked as she crossed her arms, watching with approval as her team did their job. It was hard; standing there and letting them have all the fun….but hey, they deserved their chance to play with their victims too. She chuckled; after all, she took out the last camp on her own. Granted it hadn't been as large as this one but they had been Ultra's and Spec ops.

A half hour later Leira glanced at the sun and grunted into the comm., "Wrap it up men, we have other things to do."

"_Copy," _

Fifteen minutes later the thirteen men and women were jogging steadily. They had finished their mission long ago but had been left to do what they wished since none were able to retrieve them. Leira paused in her jog as she caught something fuzzy in her comm.; she was just about to adjust it when Michel called, "Ma'am, Ranger's pinned down two miles West of our position!"

Leira jerked a nod. "Let's move marines," she barked, surging forward at a brisk jog.

Her team fell behind, keeping up easily. As they ran gold static flare and die around each man and woman as shields deactivate to recharge. They were the only ones who had them among the humans. Leira gave them to them shortly after graduating boot camp. The shields had saved their sorry hides many times over just as the additional training Leira had put them through had.

The squad of thirteen marines moved through the ruined city with swiftness not used unless they were sure of their surroundings. Most others who weren't of their platoon thought them fool hardy, but those that did know them trusted them with their lives. Wherever the Revenge squad was comfortable and relaxed the rest knew they could be the same.

Twelve years was a long time for a marine to serve and survive in the Human Covenant War, but it wasn't nearly as rare as having an entire squad remain alive and together from boot camp; which is exactly what Leira's squad had done. Rumors were that the Revenge squad was Spartans in disguise; others said they were formerly partnered with the Covenant but had come back and shouldn't be trusted. Still others, mostly solitary individuals, had suspicions that they kept to themselves.

Sounds of warfare brought Leira to attention and a dark smile to her lips. "This is going to be fun; won't the Rangers be just thrilled to see us?" Leira asked, stopping to face her team.

The twelve gathered around her, chuckling at her sarcasm and then falling silent; waiting for her command. Leira glanced toward the battle, resisting the urge to go at it herself. The time for her to unleash would come but now wasn't the time.

Leira faced her men, her eyes grim as she spoke into her comm. to the Rangers. "This is Sergeant Riktiv of the Marines, I hear you Ranger. We're coming to assist."

Ranger Sergeant Neal Arker sat panting, staring wide eyed at the back of a seven foot woman. She and her group had appeared out of nowhere; slicing through the enemy like a knife to softened butter. The Elite's and Grunts had been over whelming his team one moment, and the next it seemed as if everything that wasn't human was dead on the ground.

The woman turned her head slightly just as the sun lowered to a position that made her become a silhouette against the setting sun; her braided shoulder length hair was a wreck and sweat dripped from her like droplets of liquefied diamonds when the sun caught on them. He swallowed as her strangely colored eyes came to rest on him.

She acknowledged him with a nod and faced him, sheathing her combat knife. "You alright sir?"

"Yeah, what took you so long?" he griped, trained anger and dislike for marines saving him from more embarrassment. He was already on his backside like a toppled toddler, he did not need to be stuttering like a tong tied teenager. But, damn, she was easy on the eyes.

The woman's dark eyes sparked with amusement but her face remained neutral. "Got waylaid a ways back by some buggers; all are eliminated for now," she replied holding her hand out to him when he made a move to stand up. He grudgingly took it.

Leira scanned the man quickly. "You're medic is still breathing, you might want him to take a look at your side," she said nodding to a bloody tear in his left side armor.

The man scowled, both at her tone and the fact that she was unscathed. "I will, what's our status marine?" he asked limping toward his men.

Leira followed, her guard relaxed, nothing was nearby though it did annoy her that the Covenant was just leaving random splotches of troops around this planet.

"Three of your men are dead; four, including yourself, have mild to minor injuries. A few of my men had gone to check out the Pelican downed a few miles from here to see if it's in working condition," she answered, kicking the side of a shredded elite's torso before kneeling and taking grenades from the satchel buried beneath the creatures innards. She saw several of the Rangers nearby blanch when she did this; it was rather amusing.

Wiping her hands carelessly on her pants, she glanced over the still battle field. Many of the creatures were still alive. They'd get picked up shortly after she got her men and the Rangers out of here.

_'Huck to Revenge, copy?' _the masculine voice of the redhead rocket boy inquired in a language not common among humans.

"Copy, what's the status of the beast?" she replied in English, referring to the Pelican as her eyes continued to roam over the field.

_'Stable, I just need a few parts from a Ghost or Wraith to do a patch job. The haul is fine though,' _he answered.

Leira heard a grunt then smirked when it was followed by a growled curse. "I'll get them to you ASAP, just don't drown in grease before I get there Huck."

_'I'll kill it before I drown Amnalda; now hurry it up before I let my Irish temper flare,' _he growled.

Leira chuckled. "Roger; be there in a quarter," she said then faced the others, "I need to get a few parts to make the Pelican workable, my Lieutenant, Coreso Devin," she motioned to a thickly muscled man, "will take you to the bird."

Leira watched her nine men, and the ten Rangers, leave at a jog for a few moment then went over to a wrecked wraith and contacted Huck. The man gave her the name of the parts he needed.

As she pulled the parts out a smooth and silent ship landed and five creatures the UNSC called elites walked off and stopped behind her; waiting for their Commander to give them orders.

Leira hopped down from the ruined wraith and nodded to the salutes of her men. 'Tyrs, stay here, the rest get moving,' she ordered calmly in the language of the sangheili.

Four of the powerful eight foot creatures saluted smartly and left to find those that were still alive. The remaining sangheili grunted and clasped his Commanders arm. 'It is good to see you again ma'am; the Second has been anxious,' the older man said, his lower mandible like jaws lifting in his form of a smile.

Leira chuckled. 'Rishcouph just needs to chill, I'm thirty years old, I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself,' she said, smiling as she thought about her Second in command.

Tyrs nodded once and got down to business. 'The city has nearly doubled the size it was when you left, we have had to separate the sexes of all races until we can increase the size of the caverns. Three hundred people have been returned to various sangheili controlled planets but that did not make much room since we were already crowded. We've had to move several families into the barns and the main house.'

Leira dropped her eyes for a moment in contemplation, and then grunted as she returned her murky reddish purple eyes to the milk brown ones of the sangheili before her. 'Tell Rishcouph he has the green light for SH 3's activation. Only the mostly loyal may be moved.'

The sangheili nodded and then scanned her with a smirk. 'You look as lovely as always Commander.'

Leira smirked as she patted him on the shoulder as she passed. 'Flattery won't get you anywhere with me Trys; I'll see you next time I see you, give the Second my regards,' she said, not having to look behind her to know that he had gotten her command.

The former Field Master watched his Commander sprint away with a smirk. 'If you ever take a mate, Leira, I will love to meet the man that is stubborn enough to win you,' he murmured then turned to oversee the others. He had wounded to take back to Earth.

Huck jumped down from the Pelican's engine and gave Dolly the go ahead through his comm. The roar of the engine had the others looking at the craft with relief when it settled into a steady rhythm; they'd been sitting there for three hours since Leira came with the necessary parts needed for repairing the busted engine.

"Okay, now it works but who's flying it?" Salven, one of the Rangers, asked sinking down to the ground again with a heavy sigh.

Lieutenant Coreso Devin chuckled as he picked up his gear. "Sergeant Riktiv will; she's had adequate piloting experience," he said over his shoulder as he headed for the rear of the Pelican.

Ranger Arker followed with his men. "Your Sergeant seems to be able to do quite a bit," he observed, watching the named Marine swing up into the cock pit.

Coreso got up into the hold and held out his hand to the Ranger. "She's had many years of experience on the field and in the air, but even she has her limits," he answered as he helped the injured man up.

"Where did she train?"

Coreso helped the final Ranger up and glanced at their Sergeant. "Brazil, Earth, under Commander Dark, Drill Sergeant Morjock, and Lieutenant Dirk Far; I, and the rest of this team, also served with her there."

Arker frowned. "I've heard of you before," he looked carefully at the Marine squad, "the Revenge squad right?"

Coreso nodded as he buckled himself in and spoke into his comm. "Everything set Ma'am, get this bird up."

In the cockpit, Leira glanced at her control display as she carefully eased the craft into space. Everything was holding. "Michael, make contact with one of our ships," she said to her communications specialist, flipping a switch to release heat from the engine.

Michael did as Leira made sure they stayed as unnoticed by the space warfare around them as possible. Though the Pelican was flying, Leira knew it wasn't in any condition to do any heavy maneuvers.

Michael pointed at a ship. "The _Night Matrix_ is able to accept us."

Leira nodded, changing courses and staying as close as safety allowed to the stars, hoping to stay out of the way and out of anyone's firing path. Only when they were safely docked in the larger ship did Leira relax and sigh. "Alright everyone," she said tiredly once off the bird, "time to debrief."

The Rangers departed with nods of thanks, verbal thanks wasn't something they'd do in front of others. Leira smiled dryly after them and turned toward her men. "Go clean up, I'll take care of the formalities."

Her men nodded and left. A shower was a welcomed thought.

Leira stared out over the glassed planet, her face tired. How many had been taken by the Covenant's destructive forces? How long would she keep holding back her knowledge?

"Leira," the Sergeant didn't move as Coreso came to her side but acknowledged his presence with a soft greeting; her gaze remaining on the molten rock that had once been Kaltor IV. Coreso glanced at her, "The squad has gone on R an' R."

Leira nodded. "Good, they need their rest."

Coreso followed her gaze to the dead planet. "What are you thinking about Commander?"

Leira sighed, closing her eyes and rubbing her neck, "Home, secrets, the Covenant."

Her Second faced her. "Let's go to the bar, you need a drink."

"Aye, and a massage," she agreed with a soft laugh.

They walked in silence, neither one really noticing the stares they were getting from men and women alike. Both of them were good to look at physically but the spectators were mostly marveling at Leira's height. It was rare to see any one over 6'4".

"Leira," "Revenge," so were the calls of greetings from acquaintances and those who knew the dark haired woman; many had been saved by her and her squad. Leira acknowledged the murmured greetings with silent nods; she didn't care for the awed respect too much but she didn't know how to discourage it. If they knew what she was she didn't doubt that they'd turn on her. In a way, she was glad of that knowledge.

"Talk to me," Coreso's gruff voice drew Leira from her thoughts of secrets, orders, threats, things to do and such. Her Second held out a bottle of Budweiser, his eyes steady.

_Just like his friendship_, she thought with a grateful smile. "It's not anything not to worry about," she said moving through the crowd of people and smoke. Coreso scowled, that meant it wasn't something she wanted to discuss in public.

Finding a booth Leira sat then spun so she could lie with her head on Coreso's lap. Coreso ran a hand through her short hair. 'What's going on?' he was concerned about the frown on her brow. There was little that kept that particular expression on her face for very long.

'This entire ship has been ordered back to Earth.'

Surprise, elation, and worry shot through the thirty four year olds' body in a single second; something was wrong if Leira wasn't thrilled about going home. 'What's the danger?'

Leira shifted so she lay on her back, her knees bent and her feet flat on the bench. 'I'm not sure; something doesn't feel right about this.'

A loud clatter drew the eyes of the two old friends to the bar area of the cantina like room. A man had fallen from his chair, his arms wound tight around a woman. Leira sat up and motioned for Coreso to move; they left without anymore words. Leira had little desire to see that sort of display.

"What are the terms of our leave?" Coreso inquired, walking aimlessly at his Commander's side.

"We're free to go home for two months."

Coreso scowled, "We've never had that much time."

The younger woman nodded grimly, "That's what bothers me."

Pausing at a view port the two warriors gazed out into the passing space; both worrying about what was coming. Since the day she was old enough to join her parents on the field, Leira had been protecting others by keeping secrets; secrets she guarded tenaciously. Too often had she taken lives on and off the field to keep the secrets from falling into the wrong hands; this call home didn't feel right. Someone was watching her.

"Do you think some one knows?"

Leira answered as she raised her beer to her lips, "I don't know," she murmured, her tone revealing to her companion, just how worried she felt.

Tension built as the days went on, bringing them closer to Earth, and closer to a danger the Revenge squad leader could feel looming ahead like an ominous cloud of smoke hiding the flames responsible for its existence.

Leira gazed down at Earth a month later, her face masking any and all emotion, but her squad was uneasy. Danger was lurking for them ahead.


	3. Chapter 2

Yay! My next chapter is up! Yes these first couple chapters are a little slow but after this chapter it moves pretty fast; too fast at some parts in my opinion =P

Well please let me know what you think.

* * *

Truth watched his spy leave, a heavy frown on his face. The information on the sangheili council's doings was becoming more and more vague.

_*The sangheili guard their secrets with a zeal that nearly sicken me,*_ the Prophet said, his tone showing his displeasure.

The only reason he wasn't focusing his frustration on his spies was because he knew they were all trying their hardest to get the wanted information. It was the only reason.

_*I agree,*_ the Prophet of Mercy said tartly, glaring at his empty wine glass and motioning to a deaf unggoy to refill it.

Truth gave his companion a dispassionate glance. He did not like Mercy, never had, but he was better than Regret. The now deceased prophet had been far too ambitious for his tastes; in a way Truth was pleased that annoyance was out of his way. But this Sangheili were quickly becoming too much to handle. They needed to be checked._ * They are becoming far too suspicious for comfort; this Ship Master Thel 'Vadamee, we will make an example of him.*_

Mercy chuckled, his voice high and giddy from too much wine. _*Yes; killing him, and parading his entrails around the city would be entertaining.*_

Truth chuckled, the idea was tempting but he had a more profitable plan. _*No; we will use him as an Arbiter. He has been an excellent soldier; it would be a pity to put his talent to waste.*_

Thel 'Vadamee's skill as a warrior and leader had been reverently respected until the Sacred Ring's destruction. To use such a warrior as a personal tool would give the Prophets a very deadly weapon. Truth smirked as he turned away from his drunken companion; things were going as planned.

"Sir; Duglus is on the line."

Timothy Alhad glanced at the AI shimmering next to his computer, "Patch him through, Molly."

Molly vanished and Timothy faced his comm. speaker, "Report, Duglus."

A mildly accented voice answered. "Sir, Sergeant Riktiv and her squad have landed; requesting orders."

Timothy nodded to himself. "Good, how does she look?"

"Sir, I can't read her," Duglus replied honestly.

Timothy smirked wryly, hardly surprised; the woman was as likely to show emotion as a Spartan was. "What of her team?"

"Glad to be home, sir; they have made plans to stay at Sergeant Riktiv's estates for the duration of their leave."

Timothy had expected as much but he had hoped they wouldn't go there. The Riktiv estates were the most well guarded lands on Earth. He had sent three spies to check out her lands but none had made it over the wall; whatever was in there she didn't want anybody to see. "Follow them as far as her gates; my AI will send you the data we have on the area and the attempts to get in. If you believe you can manage you may follow; don't waste your life."

"Yes sir."

Timothy leaned comfortably against his seat after the line was closed. He had been watching Leira Riktiv since she had graduated from boot camp. Her talent as a leader was remarkable and her ability to keep herself and her team alive in the most extreme circumstances was unbelievable. So unbelievable in fact that he had suspected that they deserted during battle until it was over but he had been proven wrong by the stories his spies had gathered from other marine squads. Their account of Sergeant Riktiv's squad was impressive. They hardly had anything harsh to say about her. Apparently, aside from their normal missions, the Revenge squad acted as a rescue team on their own accord.

The Marines and the Special Forces admired the team nearly as much as they admired the Master Chief. Timothy recalled someone saying that if Riktiv and the Chief went at it he'd put his money on the Sergeant. That was probably an exaggeration but it told him how much they thought of the woman.

"Molly; can you predict what Leira would do if she were brought to me and I told her I knew her secret?" Timothy asked suddenly.

The green AI appeared on his desk an amused expression of her transparent face, "Sir, I haven't a clue."

Timothy smiled, "How 'bout an educated guess?"

Molly tilted her head and bit her lower lip in thought. She honestly didn't have enough information on the woman's personality to give any sort of guess. "I'm sorry sir; I don't have enough data on her."

Timothy nodded with a frown, "Thank you, Molly; see if you can get into her house somehow."

Molly smiled at the prospect of the challenge, "Yes sir."

Cool winds rushed around the squad of marines as the bus left them on the side of the road, outside a huge steel bound wooden gate. Inhaling the clean air Leira let out a soft sigh, "Home sweet home." Two years was a long time to be away from home.

Coreso chuckled softly as he shrugged his pack higher. "Yeah, let's dump the gear and go say hello."

Leira chuckled softly and stepped toward the gate. "Let us in Rena."

The huge gate swung open with a soft hiss of metal faintly brushing against metal and opened to the cool airy shadows of a forest of pine, oak, eucalyptus, maple, and various fruit trees.

Leira smiled as she walked down the road that led to her home; on either side of the road was wild untamed foliage. Light filtered airily through the leaves, casting intricate shadows on the dark soil that made up the road. She owned over five thousand acres of forest and hill country; her mother had paid for the place in cash about forty years ago and had the house built in less than five years. Seira, Leira's mother, had worked with the same contract company since she was fifteen; the company was well accustomed to the strict regulations the Riktiv women required. The company would never be able to show case the work they did nor were they permitted to say that they had ever done any work for them.

The team walked leisurely, chatting freely about their plans. This was the only place where they wholly let their guards down and didn't pay much attention to their surroundings. If they had been more alert they might have noticed the shadow that followed them with less finesse than was needed to fool them. But they didn't, they were on home turf, this was a haven.

'Will everyone be taking their normal rooms?' Leira asked, glancing over her shoulder at the men and women behind her.

She got a chorus of answers. 'How 'bout you?' Huck asked, his thick arm draped over Dolly's shoulders.

Leira nodded with a faint smile and move a little ahead of the squad. Huck and Dolly had married under the customs of the sangheili last time the team had been here. They were the only ones in the squad that had formed permanent relationships. Everyone else was content to remain single. Leira glanced back at Macy when she said something outrageously flirtatious to Jason; Macy, however, liked to have flings. It was a habit Leira had been unable to cure her of.

'It's nice to see that some things never change,' Tryst said from behind her, gazing ahead at the house. Three stories with connected terraces on all floors, the building was an imitation of old plantation houses. Vines crawled over the entire front of the house and pines stood like proud soldiers at both corners.

The squad paused to stare at the place that, for them, was their only haven of safety. Death seemed so far away in this place. It held a timeless feel to it. It was untouched by war. A breeze wafted from the direction of the house and washed them in fragrances of flowers; it also alerted Leira of their shadow. His scent was strong.

'Come on, let's get settled in,' Leira suggested with a smile.

Her team let out a "Hoorah!" and obeyed eagerly. Leira followed her team slowly, wondering just how she should deal with the intruder. No one had ever slipped onto her property before so she had never had to deal with the nuisance before.

Sighing she turned and faced her forest and took a slow deep breath, searching for the man's scent again. He was close. Shaking her head she looked in his general direction, "Come on out, sir, I'd like to see your warrant."

Her sharp hearing caught his muted curse and a soft murmur for orders. Leira couldn't hear what was said but she waited patiently, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on his well concealed form.

'Leira?' Coreso called from inside, 'You coming?'

Without turning her head she answered, "I'll be in, in a while Devin, go on without me."

She heard him coming toward her but she raised a fist, a battlefield signal for 'stop', "I just need to be alone right now Coreso, leave me please."

The foot-steps stopped, hesitated, and then faded away back toward the interior of the house.

"I can wait all day," Leira stated moving forward and taking a seat on the steps that she had come up to the door. The day was so nice, she wouldn't mind staying right here and enjoying it. Time passed and the man began to shift more and more frequently; he often muttered his request for orders.

Leira watched him with never tiring patience; she was good at the waiting game. She hadn't been beaten in it by anyone but her father. A faint smile lifted her lips as she thought of her sire. He would be proud of her skills.

"Thank you sir," the man finally murmured; relief clear in his tones.

Leira stood as he did. "Do you want to use the John?"

The man came toward her with a carefully composed face. "Yes please."

Leira chuckled softly and tilted her head toward the door. "Come on in."

"Revenge squad, we've got unexpected company," Leira bellowed when she reached the base of the stairs which spiraled all the way to the third floor. She heard their acknowledgements and continued to lead the stranger toward the nearest restroom.

"When you're done here you'll find me in the kitchen which is down this hall to the right; give a shout if you get lost," she said and added with a wry smile. "My mother designed this place to be confusing."

The man gave her a curious look but she left him; if he wanted answers he'd have to come find her. Leira went down the hall and made a right and went right again down the next hall and made a left into the airy kitchen. Cobble stone floors and granite counter tops with knotted maple cabinetry. It held a very welcoming atmosphere.

Smiling to herself she began making cold sandwiches for everyone and wondered how long it would take the stranger to call for help. Ten minutes later he gave an uncertain call. "Hello?"

"This way stranger," Leira called, "My mother built this place some forty odd years ago; nice isn't it?"

The man entered the kitchen and glanced around, honest awe coming over his British features, "Wow."

Leira smirked and then motioned for him to take a seat. "Join us for lunch," she said as her team began to trail in. Macy grinned when she saw their guest and Leira sighed, "Macy, don't terrorize our guest."

The model like woman laughed airily as she slid onto the stool next to the stranger, "Hello handsome, don't mind Leira, she's prude."

The man glanced at Leira through the corner of his eye. "That sounds like an insult."

Macy chuckled, and began to ask him questions, all the while being flirtatious.

Coreso met Leira's gaze over the others heads, his gaze asking where this guy had come from, she gave a faint shrug as she began passing out the sandwiches.

"What do you guys want to drink?" Leira called from the open fridge, "We've got: beer, Root Beer, Dr. Pepper, sparkling water, lemonade, and good old water."

The squad called out their orders and Leira casually tossed the glass bottles to them and filled up a glass of water for the stranger when he requested it. The man was being cautious and she didn't blame him. He belonged to someone in the Brass; his bearing, speech, and clothing clearly marked him as such. Whoever he was he was good. He had smoothly side stepped any questions involving information about himself or who he worked for.

Evening was drawing near when Leira finally dismissed her team and was left alone with the stranger. The man met her gaze once they were alone, "You are very good at this."

Leira nodded in acknowledgement, "You are too; did you get what you want?"

He shrugged, "I've gotten more than my predecessors have."

Leira nodded and complemented, "That was a nice evasion."

He smirked and sipped at his water, his blue eyes wary. The man was very good. Leira's eyes narrowed, her expression suddenly cold. "This is going to be a yes or no question and you will answer one or the other. Clear?"

The man tensed and said nothing.

"Did Ackerson send you?"

The man relaxed slightly, showing brief confusion, "No."

Sighing softly she rolled her shoulders, "Then that's alright." Ackerson had been a threat to her before she was born; her mother had been betrothed to the man before she had fled. He had also been the one to kill Seira; non-directly of course. That man never did his own dirty work. "It's late, I'm sure you have a report to make," Leira said standing and motioning him to follow her, "I'll give you a ride to the gates."

The man set the glass down and obeyed cautiously. They weren't going toward the front. "Is this where you cut my throat any bury my body?" he asked dryly.

Leira chuckled as she opened the door. "Nah, you're too good to kill and no harm was done."

On the other side of the door were a collection of mustangs from every year they existed. The man let out a low oath of awe. "How much did one of those baby's cost?" he gasped, staring at the models made during the 1900s.

"More than the house," Leira replied easily going to the 1982 GT model.

"How loaded are you?" he asked, reverently slipping into the passenger seat.

Leira smiled faintly as she started the ignition, even when the man was completely enthralled he still did his job. The man literally groaned as the engine growled to life; Leira shook her head and hit the gas. The man yelp as his head struck the head rest and grinned with boyish delight as they sped through the evening. While the man was captivated by the speed of the vehicle Leira scanned through the information her AI had gathered for her. Leira chuckled as she eased the vehicle into a stop by the gate they had come through earlier.

"A treat for being the first and last person to slip through my defenses," she said with mild amusement and nodded, "Out you get."

The man sighed heavily as he got out, "Thank you."

Leira rolled down the passenger window and called to him as the gates opened, "Hey, Duglus." The man whirled, staring at her in shock. He had not given her his name. "Tell your boss, or whoever sent you, that if he wants to talk he just has to ask nicely," she stated coolly, "I don't like it when people beat around the bush, he should know that much if he's ever read my records."

The man nodded coolly, "I'll tell him; good evening Miss Riktiv."

Leira waited until the gates closed and exited the car. By the gates a code pad was hidden in a false brick. "Yes Leira?" a feminine voice asked; it was an identical sound of Seira's voice.

"I don't want that to ever happen again," Leira said flatly.

There was a soft sigh. "I saw him too late; I was dealing with an attacking AI when you arrived. I have already made a design that should ensure that we don't have a repeat of this. Rishcouph has Nidra Miraclaa working on it."

Leira searched her memory for a face to go with the name of the woman Rena had given her. "Is she that girl J.J. nearly killed a few years ago?" she asked with a frown. Janakh Jakollaa, or J.J. as she preferred to be called, was a Corporal in the Riktiv army and over saw the majority of the training of the women with the help of Sashea, Rishcouph's mate.

"Yes," Rena confirmed.

Leira nodded and returned to the house. The team waited for her, their expressions grim and concerned until Leira waved them off, signaling all was fine.

'Let's go down stairs,' she said, switching back to the sangheili language with a smirk. Her team grinned and turned as the hall floor behind them sunk slightly and slid to the left beneath the hall wall. Stairs carved out of the house's foundation led down a calmly lit tunnel.

'Rishcouph is waiting, Leira, you better hurry.'

Leira grinned at the amused tone Rena used to inform her; Rishcouph was her Second in command of the city. He had been in that position for over two decades, she had entrusted the city to him when she was fifteen. He had been loyal to her family for three years; Leira had brought him in when she was eleven. The scar beneath her right eye served as a reminder of that day.

Rishcouph had been semi-conscious when he had attacked her; if he hadn't been dazed Leira didn't doubt that he would have killed her. Three sangheili had helped her get him under control; one of which had been Hermaskee one of the very first Orphans that had been brought to Seira's first city on the first planet she had moved to after she had run away from the marriage her father had arranged to Ackerson.

'Leira!'

The marine Sergeant smiled softly and she relaxed fully for the first time since she had last been among her people. Sangheili, Unggoy, and Lekgolo all stood shouting their welcome. The Revenge team grinned as their names were called by several and eagerly went in among the crowds.

A roar tore over the cheers, silencing everyone, their gazes trained on their leader eagerly. Leira gazed at them, her heart warming at what she saw in their eyes. This was home. Throwing back her head a roar tore from her throat. The sound was purely animalist in nature but every single person who heard it recognized it for what it was; it was the call of a leader reclaiming her lands. Leira had taken up the old tradition upon her first time back since boot camp; it had stuck since. Her people roared back, their voices accepting.

Leira chuckled as she walked among her people. These were people she had saved and had nourished back from death's door. These were her family even if they were not of her own blood or even from her body.

The people slowly went back to their normal activities a few hours later; they knew they would see her again before she left. She always made a point to visit each sector when she returned home.

This first night and day was a time for her to meet those she had never met and to make a connection with them, to gain their trust and respect. When night fell the next day Leira was saying good-bye to a young girl who had been taken from slavery on a back water sangheili planet.

A tall sangheili man approached her and rested a large hand on her shoulder, 'Come, you need rest Commander.'

Leira pressed her cheek against the man's hand for a moment, relishing the comfort of his familiar touch, and stood tiredly to face her tall friend. Gazing up into the familiar face of her Second she smiled tiredly, all her shields down, 'Rishcouph.'

Tren Rishcouph wrapped his old friend in a gentle embrace, nuzzling the top of her head as she relaxed into him, 'It is good to see you again, Leira.'

Leira pulled back with a smile, 'Tell me, how things have been since I've been gone?'

Rishcouph walked at her side as they made for his home; Leira always stayed with him and his mate the first time she slept at home.

'Aside from needing more room and the occasional Zealous fool we haven't had any problems. One of the Lekgolo females gave birth a few months after you left last time, they will be ready to have their armor welded on in a few more months.'

Leira nodded, the Lekgolo didn't breed often and births were special for their kind. Lekgolo matured in a two year time and only another Lekgolo could really train a Lekgolo so they were laws unto themselves in any place.

'Good; and the training?' she inquired.

'No one has been blown up yet,' Rishcouph said humorously as he opened the door to his home for her.

Leira chuckled softly and entered, 'Sashea, I'm home.'

Rishcouph followed his commander slowly, wanting to see how she would respond to his child.

Leira smiled when she saw her friend sitting in the family room, 'Taking a lazy day?' she teased.

Sashea's eye brightened with welcome but she quietly shushed her, 'He just fell asleep.'

Rishcouph grinned as Leira froze and stared at the small child Sashea held; he hadn't told her that the medic's had discovered a way to safely transplant ovaries. Sashea wasn't the only woman among the sangheili who had had the operation.

'How?' Leira asked in a daze, coming over to look at the child. She knew it had to be a natural born baby; it looked way too much like both its parents not to be.

Sashea grinned, her eyes joyful and content, 'Levir found it out; his own mate had her ovaries removed due to an infection and he wanted to give her children. Adoption wasn't what they wanted so he did his research and was successful.'

Leira shook her head as she looked down at the baby, her gaze tender, 'What's his name?'

'Sirus Hemcouph,' Rishcouph murmured coming to stand behind his mate, 'After Sashea's father and my brother.'

The baby shifted in his sleep nuzzling closer to his mother; Leira didn't remember the last time she had seen something so innocent. A fierce longing speared her for a moment briefly taking her breath. Sashea watched her Commander's face with a troubled frown, 'Leira?'

Mentally shaking herself Leira smiled, 'Can I hold him?'

The two women began to chat quietly when Leira sat down with the baby neatly settled in her arms, and Rishcouph stood quietly behind his mate rubbing her shoulders and studying Leira. Her hair was midnight black and millimeters shy of being over regulations by resting even with the tops of her shoulders, most of the time she kept it in a tight French braid. Her eyes were an odd murky red-brown color. Her eyes alone could stop an enemy when her fury was unleashed, they tended to shift colors and become feral looking. He had only seen her like that when she found Seira dead with a sniper shot to the temple.

Her skin was a deep copper color, which was unique to her. No other human that she had come across had quite the same richness in color. The "y" shaped scar beneath her eyes was rough and very obvious but it was purely her. She was the type to keep the scars she got. It was rare when her wounds left scars. She had the height of 7'2, the average height for sangheili women. She was thin and had a nice feminine figure when she wasn't wearing her uniform. She always dressed modestly; she had enough problems with men without encouraging them. Leira was thirty years old; Rishcouph thought she was over due to have someone take care of her for a change.

'You should get some rest Commander,' Rishcouph said when there was a break in the women's chat; Leira was visibly fighting off sleep.

Leira smiled faintly after a yawn, 'Yeah.'

Sashea took the still sleeping child and gave Leira a one arm hug, 'Sleep well and sleep in.'

Leira chuckled softly at the joke; she never slept in. 'Good night my friends,' she murmured and trudged sleepily toward the room the couple always had for her.

Sashea turned to her mate as he came to her and kissed her gently. She growled faintly in approval, 'You did much better this time.'

Rishcouph laughed softly; last time Leira had come home he had nearly attacked her with an up-date on everything he had done. 'Thank you,' he said, holding her and looking down at their child with a smile.

Sashea smiled at the adoration in her mate's eyes, 'Come, Tren, we both need sleep too.'

Rishcouph nodded and guided them into their room; everything seemed much calmer now that Leira was back.


End file.
